LONDON CALLING

Ruby smniled as she looked at Kate " every one keeps telling me that, and I keep telling him that but I don't think he belives it , well not fully" she said " but Im sticking by him" she said " even if it means I turn my father into a bug and god forbid keep him in one of Roberts Jars for the rest of his bug life." she said picking up a large jug of orange juice to take to the table for every one to have. It was now Jack walked in.

"I think that sauceruss is on the prowl she let out the mugmi puffs, Jeff swears he closed the gate to their pen but this morning they were all over the barn." he told them sitting and taking some french toast with a pile of bacon.

"Give him a little time, Ruby," Kate said. "He only just found out that this is what he's going to have to deal with. He needs a minute to wrap his brain around it all. Then he'll be alright."

Kate laughed when Jack said the pygmy puffs had gotten out. " Nice try, but if the sorceress had come and tinkered with us, she'd have done more than to let out the pygmy puffs." When they all were gathered, Kate decided they all needed to know.

"While you're all here," Kate told them, "I think you all need to know something. You all know Angus is going to be on leave for awhile. But Robert and Nigel have told him this morning that because of the damage the potion did, he's not going to be strong enough for awhile to stand and walk. He's going to have some very serious weakness and fatigue for awhile. He'll be far better sitting or lying down. But, it's very likely he's going to spend some weeks in a wheelchair until they get his magical system regenerated and repaired. And he won't be able to cast any spells. His magic will be, in effect, gone until this is all repaired. I know we can count on all of you to keep him encouraged and to not let him feel like he's useless to us. But today, I'm sure he's probably more than a bit upset, and he's probably angry and frustrated."

"Damn," Michael sighed, frustrated. "I would be so pissed off. And he's so young for all that."

"We aren't going to let him walk it alone," Brian said. "I presume they'll design a rehab program for him? If they tell me what they want, I'll help him with it." Brian would be a perfect fit for helping him, Kate thought. After all, training was what he did.

"I think that's a good idea," Kate said.

Ruby smiled and nodded "I agree and they were talking about that when I left the room" she aid to Kate " and altering the duplex so he could get around easily" she added as she ate. " but yes he is pissed , more so at Redfern who did it to him and Roberts bringing in some specialists from his team to help with rehibilitation and nurishion." she looked to Kate " I'll do as mucha s I can but Roberts right there are somethings a young man need others to do and not his fiance" she chuckled.

Jack chuckled then spliuttered " I thought thats why you were marrying him" he said as Jess slapped his arm. " what its the truth." he said making Jess chuckle and shake her head.

"maybe so but did you have to say that now." Jess said "Timing Jack, timing, we'll do anything we can to help too, don't worry"

"Robert did mention that we might need to make a couple guest rooms at the ready, but he wasn't sure they would be needed," Kate said. "I presume those are for Nigel's people then."

"Americans. Probably New Yorkers. So, big strip steaks on the grill for supper if they're still here, maybe with some shrimp skewers for a surf and turf, and some baked potatoes on the grill. And, if we can find it, some fresh sweet corn. We can do it American style, right on the cob, and grill it. Slather it with a parmesan cheese butter. That is one thing they know how to do--grilled corn. And if we're going to it right, we'll need a cheesecake that will put their oh-so-famous New York style cheesecake to shame," Michael said. "I'll get on the cheesecake straight after breakfast so it has several hours to chill, and then I'll order the steaks and the sweet corn. I'll have to find a local farmer to get the corn from because if I go through the suppliers, they'll have it all off the cob."

"Sounds delicious, Michael," Kate said. "But can you defeat a New York style cheesecake?"

"With my eyes shut, my darling," Michael grinned. "Not to worry. Can a couple of you others do a decent lunch. If we go American for supper, we need to go a proper British lunch. What do you think? Maybe an upscale Ploughman's or a nice beer battered fish and chips? Or something else? Let's show them that British food isn't as bland and tasteless as the Yanks presume it all is. They have a misconception that there is no taste in British food at all. Let's show them they're wrong."

Ruby smiled seeing them all rally around " I'll help" she said and chuckled as the plughmans was mentioned " oh I love that but fo Robert the fish and chips I think, humm why not both, Kate Im sure could help or Simone" she was now thinking of ideas. Jess chuckled and smiled at her.


"sure we can do both" Jess said " I like a ploughmans lunch anyday, the combination of cheese and pickle sounds heavenly." Jess noted the time and stood up " well you'll have to excuse me I have hospital dutys to attens, thank you for a haerty breakfast and see you at supper." she said then aperated out. Jack chuckled too before he stood up " okay guess clean up is on me today" he said picking up all the plates and cups to put them in the dishwasher and set it going. 

Ruby finished her breakfast and stayed sat as she took out her book the pages dogeared as she had read them so much but she was at last at the end of that book turning the last page she sent it back to the shelf it had come off.

"Alright. Two entrees for lunch. Fish and chips, and for those who want a trifle healthier, we'll put out a nice ploughman's. Can you lot do the ploughman's, and I'll get to the fish and chips after I put together the cheesecake?"

"I bet we can," Kate said.

"I'll be happy to help," Simone said.

It wasn't more than fifteen minutes when the crackling sound of apparating came from the living room.

"Knock knock" someone called.

"No point in knocking after you're in," Michael called back. "Come through to the kitchen, whoever you are."

"Just me," said someone, as they came through to the kitchen. "And I bring friends." It was Lee Shepherd, of all people, and he had a man and a woman with him.

"Lee? Are you doing the magical taxi service these days?" Michael asked. He went over and shook hands with Lee.

"Hello, Lee," Kate went over and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Hello, Michael. Hi, Kate. You're as beautiful as ever. And Simone? What are you doing here?"

"Staying with Edward for now," she smiled.

"You and Edward? Well, congratulations. I think you'd make a fine couple. Well, let me do my introductions, then. "This is Andrew Sellers. He's the rehab specialist Nigel wanted, and this is Lily Clay. She's the nutritionist he sent for. So, what's this all about anyway?"

"Nigel didn't tell you?"

"No. Only that he needed them here. So who's in trouble?" Lee asked.

"Let me ask you something," Michael said. "What do you know about a Kyle Redfern or a Reginald Tyler?"

"Tyler? He's a two bit thug. Wants to be a big fish in a big pond, but he's a little bitty fish. Always has been, and it pisses him off. Right now, he's a bottom feeder for your man, Gelding."

"Sounds about right," Michael said. "Do you know Redfern?"

"I know of him. Follows Tyler around these days. He's basically a toady for Tyler. Tyler does the leg breaking, and Redfern scrambles around taking out Tyler's trash, trying to do anything to make himself noticed by one of the big boys."

"Well, he might have managed to do that, but I think he got himself noticed by the wrong big boy. He's now made himself a target for Robert. We want Redfern, Lee. And best that Robert finds him than Edward Donohue."

"Why is that?"

"Because Redfern tried to kill Angus yesterday and damn near succeeded. He's the one that Nigel came here for and the one you brought these two to help."

"Oh, damn," Lee said. "Where are they?"

"Upstairs. Second room on the left."

"I'll be back. We'll finish our discussion about Redfern when I come back."

"I'm holding you to it," Michael said.

Ruby sawe three people arrive and she stood up to follow them walking to stand with Michael. she smile seeing Micahel knew one of them at least. " oh your from the new york office" she said " I think our paths crossed once" but saw him head up to Angus's room once Michael explained what had happened. She looked at the other two and smiled. not realy sure what to make of the pair of them. She knew they were there to do a job and she had noticed they both dressed smart and in work attire.

"I'll ready two rooms" she said heading up th stairs and opening two doors down the hall from Angus's room , changing the sheets for fresh ones she opened the windows to air out the rooms. Now done she walked back down to the kitchen to start on the ploughmans lunch while Kate worked on the batter for the fish.

When Lee went upstairs, Michael looked at Ruby.

"That man was Lee Shepherd. He's an old friend and colleague of Robert's. He is also the American's equivalent to the Minister of Magic there. There, the position is called President of the Magical Congress of the United States of America. And that's him. We've worked with Lee and his people on several occasions. He's a good friend. He's also the man that Nigel works for. Nigel heads the American wizarding hospital--Khaat's equivalent there. Lee is one of the very few people that I can honestly say I would trust with my life, and he's the one that helped me get Robert in to see Nigel a couple years ago when Robert was so sick."

Lee went into the bedroom upstairs and was a bit taken aback to find Angus sidelined. That just so rarely happened, and he could tell this was serious. Angus looked like he'd gone a few rounds with Satan himself.

"Lee," Robert and Lee shook hands, "I didn't expect to see you today."

"Wanted to be sure they got here. And if you were requesting Nigel and then additional help? I knew someone was in trouble. What happened?"

"Angus, can I leave you for a moment? Do not try to go anywhere or do anything until I get back. Fair enough?" Robert asked. "I wont be more than a moment."

"Where am I going to go?" Angus sighed. Robert took Lee and Andrew and Lily next door into Khaat's room to brief them in as few words as he could manage. Lee could already see that there were issues that Robert hadn't resolved.

"Sounds like we need to have a pint, Robert," Lee said, feeling they needed a long talk to update each other.

"Maybe a couple."

"Well, whatever Angus needs, we'll make sure you have it if you can't get it. Angus is a good agent, and we don't want you to lose him. We'll give you whatever help you need," Lee said. "Where shall we start?"

"I'd like to start by talking to Angus myself, if I might," Andrew said. "Has he had any sort of morning wash yet?"

"No, not yet," Robert said. "Hadn't gotten to that."

"Let me go see how far I get," Andrew said.

"Sounds fine," Robert said. "He is not liable to be able to stand at all yet, though."

"I wouldn't expect it," Andrew said. He went next door into Angus's room and shut the door. Nigel took Lily back to the kitchen where eveyone was working on lunch.

"Lily is going to be helping make a nutrition plan for Angus. She hasn't met with him yet, but I thought perhaps you lot might like to meet her, and maybe you'd show her through your kitchen and your pantry and so on so she knows what the kitchen is capable of."

"The kitchen is capable of anything a restaurant would be capable of," Michael said.

"

Ruby wantched as Lilly was shown around the kitchen she moved out teh way once or twice before leaving the room entirly to sit in the living room but che changed her mind to head to the library to get another book for her self then moved back to the living roomshe watched as Lilly started to organice things to her way. Ruby tried to not get annoyed with herself or Lilly as insid she knew it was temporery and this is what would happen for any one in Angus's position. 

Shrinking the book she placed it in her pocket before changing her clothes to a swim suit and headed to the pool to work off some of the tenshion she felt knowing it was not right she should feel this way and once every one settled into a rutine things would run smoothly.

Michael finished the cheesecake and tucked into the fridge. Then he ordered the groceries for supper while Kate cracked on with the fish and chips and Simone worked on the ploughman's. Michael went into the library finding Ruby there shelving a book.

"You do realize that just because she's a woman, it doesn't mean she's going to put the make on Angus, right? You're looking really transparent, like a very jealous girlfriend, and it really isn't necessary, you know," Michael told Ruby. "What is it about her that threatens you?"